Mccormick Bowen (budgetstreet03)

Streptococcus mutans UA159 is responsible for human dental caries with robust cariogenic potential. Our previous study noted that a glutamate racemase (MurI) mutant strain (designated S. mutans FW1718), with the hereditary background of UA159, displayed alterations of morphogenesis, attenuated stress tolerance, and weakened biofilm-forming capabilities, accompanying with unclear mechanisms. In this study, we applied isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based proteomics to characterize the proteome profiles of the murI mutant strain vs. the wild-type strain in chemically defined media to elucidate the mechanisms by which S. mutans copes with MurI deficiency. Whole-cell proteins of S. mutans FW1718 and UA159 were assessed by iTRAQ-coupled LC-ESI-MS/MS. Furthermore, differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified by Mascot, Gene Ontology (GO) annotation, Cluster of Orthologous Groups of proteins (COG), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses. Finally, contributed to the S. mutans response to specific environmental contexts.Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an attractive green technology which harnesses the power of microorganism for the production of electricity along with bioremediation of waste. However, the bioremediation of the high concentration of dye wastewater in MFC remains unclear. In present study, double-chambered MFC inoculated with mixed bacterial consortium was used for bioremediation of reactive orange 16 (RO-16) dyes at a very high and variable concentration range of 100 to 1000 ppm. Maximum voltage was obtained for 100 ppm of dye and was found to be 0.5791 V along with a power density of 0.0851 W/m3. Till 500 ppm concentration of dye COD removal efficiency remains in range of 40 to 100% thereafter it decreases. The maximum concentration of CO2 was found to be 2% at 1000 ppm which confirms the biodegradation phenomena in MFC. Kinetics of biodegradation of reactive orange 16 were studied using Haldane inhibitory kinetic model and kinetic constants μmax, Ks, and Ki were calculated and found to be 0.417 day-1, 206.2 ppm, and 447.12 ppm respectively. The experimental results showed inhibitory condition in the MFC after 500 ppm and it was supported by the value of inhibitory kinetic constant Ki = 447.12 ppm. This study opened the possibility of bioremediation of dyes at high concentrations in MFCs.Kariba weed (Salvinia molesta) was used as biomass feedstock for ethanol production by separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF). Monosaccharides from Kariba weed hydrolysate were produced using thermal acid hydrolysis, sonication, and enzymatic saccharification. The optimal conditions for thermal acid hydrolysis of 12% (w/v) Kariba weed slurry were evaluated as 200 mM HNO3 at 121 °C for 60 min yielding 10.2 g/L monosaccharides. Sonication for 45 min before enzymatic saccharification yielded more monosaccharides to 18.7 g/L. Enzymatic saccharification with 16 U/mL Cellic CTec2 produced 35.4 g/L monosaccharides. Fermentation was performed using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Kluyveromyces marxianus, or Pichia stipitis with sonicated Kariba weed hydrolysate. The control fermentations were carried out using Kariba weed hydrolysate without sonication. The improvement of ethanol production from sonicated Kariba weed hydrolysate using P. stipitis produced 15.9 g/L ethanol with ethanol yield coefficient YEtOH = 0.45, K. marxianus produced 14.7 g/L ethanol with YEtOH = 0.41. S. cerevisiae produced the lowest yield of 13.2 g/L ethanol with YEtOH = 0.37 as it utilized only glucose not xylose. Sonication of Kariba weed was essential in the ethanol production to enhance the productivity of monosaccharides. P. stipitis was determined as the best yeast species using hydrolysates with the mixture of glucose and xylose to produce ethanol.Encapsulation of crocin (CN), having large